K98 byf44 serial numbers.. please help!

[argan]

What is the lowest SN observed in byf 44 K98's?

What kind of serialization did Mauser use in 1944?

For example, when was a byf44 with 3digit serial number without letter/suffix produced?

Thank you!

[Luis22]

What is the lowest SN observed in byf 44 K98's?

What kind of serialization did Mauser use in 1944?

For example, when was a byf44 with 3digit serial number without letter/suffix produced?

Thank you!

http://www.k98kforum.com/

[Wilhelm]

Per Waffeninfo.net byf 44 start 2875 end 342330. Hope that helps.

[Johnny Peppers]

Per Waffeninfo.net byf 44 start 2875 end 342330. Hope that helps.

No letter suffix? My byf 44 is in the 13000 f serial number range.

[Wilhelm]

They don't show any letter suffix. It is a German site listing all? codes and years. Looks like they missed that. You know the internet. Check it out.

[argan]

Thank you guys,

According to "Kriegsmodell", Steves-Karem, 3PP Publishing, at page 68 it says: "..the revised serial number sequence (started in 1943) was based on a 5 digit numerical field followed by a letter(s) designating the month of production".

but at the same time at page 124, the gallery of K98 begins with a "byf 44 no letter block", considered a "Early no letter series".

something is wrong I believe...

[CanadianAR]

In 1944 at oberndorf codes and serials were as follows.
Byf44
1-99999. Jan
1-99999a Feb
1-99999b March

Etc

J and m were skipped. L starts to show kreigamodell production. N is quite varied.

With the exception that they never reached 99999. With a new month they would roll over to a new letter block.

Some get pretty high, in the 70k range.

So using that, your no letter would be january.

[argan]

In 1944 at oberndorf codes and serials were as follows.
Byf44
1-99999. Jan
1-99999a Feb
1-99999b March

Etc

J and m were skipped. L starts to show kreigamodell production. N is quite varied.

With the exception that they never reached 99999. With a new month they would roll over to a new letter block.

Some get pretty high, in the 70k range.

So using that, your no letter would be january.

Thank you very much!

May I know the source you used to find these data? I looked here and there but without success..!!

Cheers

[Johnny Peppers]

Thank you guys,

According to "Kriegsmodell", Steves-Karem, 3PP Publishing, at page 68 it says: "..the revised serial number sequence (started in 1943) was based on a 5 digit numerical field followed by a letter(s) designating the month of production".

but at the same time at page 124, the gallery of K98 begins with a "byf 44 no letter block", considered a "Early no letter series".

something is wrong I believe...

With the contradictory information, I would have a hard time believing that the letter suffix indicated month of production. It might be close, but I don't know how a production schedule for exactly 99,999 rifles per month could be maintained. There would be no logical reason to do this, either speeding up or slowing down to maintain an exact monthly production schedule. The P.08's certainly didn't maintain any set schedule.

[vaughn99]

Hello, Johnny

exactly the point they never reached the 100,000 rifles per month. for the most part in observations for 1943-1945 almost all letter blocks EXCEPT the l (L) block in 1944 was between the 48,000 to 61,000 range so they never came close to the 100,000 number each month. in the l (L) block they came the closest in the 89,000 serial range.

later
vaughn

[phild]

Hello, Johnny

exactly the point they never reached the 100,000 rifles per month. for the most part in observations for 1943-1945 almost all letter blocks EXCEPT the l (L) block in 1944 was between the 48,000 to 61,000 range so they never came close to the 100,000 number each month. in the l (L) block they came the closest in the 89,000 serial range.

later
vaughn

I have also found all of this to be the case. The production estimate in BBOW 1st edition (at least) for byf 43 and 44 is IMO almost 2x higher than actual production due to his belief that 100K and more per month was reached. about 1/2 that is closer to the fact.

I think letter J was omitted as was a common but not universal practice in German arms serial number "suffixing"

I am not sure if they began in Jan of either year or both years with the "no" letter serial range or went straight to the "a" range.....I have seen a few no letters reported, but it could be the person reporting the number missed the letter.....also VERY common in serial number surveys as are mis-read letters.

Depending on if they started with a or no letter December would of course be a L or a M.